Six Days
by HeroismInACan
Summary: "Looking back at the place he once called home, he saw nothing but a crumbling pile of rubble. The devastation that took Haven and brought it to its doom was something he never could have prepared himself for. He was the only one who survived, and he cursed the gods above for taking everything, everyone, he loved from him in one fell swoop."
1. Day One

Chapter 1 – Day One

* * *

The land was desolate, matching that of the Wasteland even where there once stood lush jungles and rugged cityscapes. It set off an alarm in Jak's mind as he struggled to understand what had just happened.

Looking back at the place he once called home, he saw nothing but a crumbling pile of rubble. The devastation that took Haven and brought it to its doom was something he never could have prepared himself for. He was the only one who survived, and he cursed the gods above for taking everything, every _one_ , he loved from him in one fell swoop.

His heart ached. His body screamed. His mind cried out in tired panic.

He was alone. His home was gone. He had nothing.

Where would he go? All he saw for miles upon miles was sand and destruction, and the closest city was Spargus, still many days travel from his current location. Although his sense of direction was off, and using Haven as a landmark was a lost cause, he tried anyway and picked the best course in the hopes of finding another living being.

As he walked, his body continued to scream in protest, every footstep forward took greater effort to complete. It was a miracle he was as okay as he was, but since he was _outside_ Haven's walls when the destruction began, getting out and away was easier for him even though he tried to get back into the city.

He'd been outside on a mission, doing something for Ashelin to aid the Freedom League. He and Daxter had separated to get the task done easier, and although he searched, and searched, and _searched_ , he couldn't find the redhead anywhere. It hurt to know that Daxter was probably dead, crushed somewhere and alone in the concrete jungle they had survived in for years, and there was no hope for anyone _inside_ when the eruption began.

Was it an eruption? An explosion? Jak couldn't know. He had never seen, heard, felt something like this before.

Hours had passed by with no change of scenery. Everything looked the same, scattered stones dotting the landscape and sand everywhere, and the fact night had fallen didn't help the matter.

But something did change up ahead—a figure.

As he drew closer, he noticed this figure was a woman, her long, flowing hair matching that of the moon and _glowing_ , if such a thing could be true. He blamed his odd vision on the sun baking him hours ago, the coolness of night having not yet chilled his psyche enough for it to stop the mirages. However, when the woman _turned_ and _looked_ at him, he knew this was no mere illusion or trick of the eyes.

She was frowning at him, her features ethereal and the robes she wore flowing in some nonexistent breeze. Her long hair _was_ glowing, giving off a cool light and billowing in the same draft as her robes. Her eyes were kind, even though the entirety of them were white and devoid of visible emotion.

"Jak." Her voice matched her translucent looks, a slight echo trailing her words.

"Who are you?" The blond spoke for the first time a long while, the hours of walking and breathing in the suffocating dry causing his throat to sound as rough as it felt.

"I am the moon."

The young man raised an eyebrow. "The moon?"

She nodded, turning her body to face him and clasping her hands in front of her. "You need to go."

"Go where?"

"Away. Far away, or I will be forced to punish you."

"Punish me?"

"With gusts of freezing cold."

"But, why?"

"Just go, Jak. Let go and leave."

"You're a hallucination, aren't you? I'm really losing it, then." Jak laughed, but the woman's frown only deepened.

"Then face your punishment on the 'morrow, and you shall see that there is truth in my words."

Jak moved forward, hand outstretched as if to stop her from leaving, but she faded in a hazy flash, leaving him alone in the barren landscape and taking with her the soft light she emitted.

When he looked up at the night sky, the moon was nowhere to be seen.

l

lll

l

Jak woke with a start, a burning cold slipping through the cracks of his makeshift shelter—a small pile of large rocks he'd stumbled across several hours after his conversation with the illusionary woman.

He rubbed at his arms, crawling out of the rocks and coming face-to-face with the same dry and sandy scenery the Wasteland was known for. However, a strong gust of wind bit at Jak's covered flesh as if he were wearing nothing at all. The parts of his skin exposed felt as if they were boiling, the cold nipping at him and causing him to recoil.

The uncontrollable shivers came next, wracking his body and forcing him to return between the stones he called home for the night.

Cursing, Jak curled in on himself and attempted to maintain his body heat, but the effort was useless as the cold wrapped around him like a sheet of ice, stealing what warmth he kept.

 _With gusts of freezing cold._

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** This story was inspired by the song "Six Days" by Cellar Darling, which I suggest giving a listen!

I essentially just took the lyrics and turned them into a story focused around Jak, who, for some reason, this song made me think of.

This is going to be short and pretty much to the point, but I wanted a break from my other stories to work on something I've been wanting to write since I first heard this song! I'll also probably update pretty quickly, since it is so short, and it'll only be, you guessed it, six chapters haha

Hope you like it and thanks for reading!


	2. Day Two

Chapter 2 – Day Two

* * *

Jak immediately noticed that the gusts of cold were gone when he woke the next morning. It was as if nothing had happened, and he figured he _must_ have been dreaming or imagining things. The heat must have been getting to him if they were causing such realistic hallucinations.

He clambered out from between his shelter, continuing his journey to Spargus in the hopes of finding someone, _anyone_ , who could help him. The dread that filled the pit of his stomach remained ever present as he trudged through the shifting sands. The temperature, even this early in the morning, was staggering and overpowering, but he had to keep going. Spargus was going to be his salvation, the place he could call his new home even though home died the moment Daxter went missing.

As he continued to walk, he came across something else curious. Much like before, up ahead was another figure, sitting alone on the edge of one of the larger boulders. Her hair was short and, blaming his tired eyes, appeared to be _on fire_. Her clothing was bright like the scorching sun, the vibrant colors all melting into a hot white that felt like they were burning him for just looking.

As he grew closer, she stood with a jump, hands held at her sides and biting her lip nervously. She made a motion to reach out to him, but drew her hand back with a frown.

"Jak, why didn't you _listen_?"

"Do I know you?"

She nodded her head slowly, tasting her words. "Yes and no. I am the sun. You see me and are blessed with my light and warmth every day, but I am not here for a friendly visit."

"I figured as much. Your friend, the moon, wasn't here for a sleepover, either."

"You need to leave. Please. Terrible things are to come if you refuse a second time."

"Why do I need to leave?" Jak demanded, expression stoic as he stared at the fiery woman. Being this close, he clearly saw that her hair truly _was_ on fire.

"You saw your home destroyed, yes?"

He nodded.

"And your friends are otherwise presumed dead?"

The blond bit back a rude retort, instead grounding out, "Your point?"

She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. " _Worse_ is to happen, and I will be forced to punish you if you do not leave."

"But _why_?" The blond tried again, anger flickering in his gaze and causing the Dark Eco below his flesh to stir. He could feel it happening, the change that often overcame him, but he needed to talk to this woman, not threaten to tear her apart. Although, given all he'd witnessed and the weird encounter he had yesterday, he wouldn't mind giving in to the darkness and ripping something apart just for the catharsis it would bring.

"Please, just leave, Jak. I beg of you to go. Let go and leave."

He growled, the sound rivaling that of a large animal, but instead of attack her, he stormed past her and continued his journey. "You're just another illusion."

"Then on the 'morrow feel my embrace, and you shall know the truth in my words." Her voice was soft, the tone bordering apologetic, but Jak heard them. They followed him, haunted him, but he ignored them as he used his anger to propel himself forward toward his destination.

l

lll

l

Like a switch had been flipped, Jak suddenly felt as if he had been dipped in liquid fire, cooled, then dipped again. His body wrenched itself this way and that, finding no solace or comfort no matter what he did or tried, and eventually he ended up lying prone on his back, writhing in the dry, warm sand he'd been navigating for the past few days.

He managed to pry his eyes open after clenching them shut, his throat busy screaming from the agony overtaking his entire being, and brought his gaze upwards toward the sun hanging heavy in the sky. He could've swore he saw the woman from yesterday frowning at him. He could've swore he _felt_ her arms around him, holding him and constricting him as she burned him and watched. He could've swore he heard her remorseful apologies as she continued her punishment.

 _Then on the 'morrow feel my embrace._


	3. Day Three

Chapter 3 – Day Three

* * *

By this point, Jak was sure he had gone the wrong way. He'd been travelling too long and far to not come across Spargus already. He was beginning to lose hope, but he was determined to find the forgotten city.

The past few days had been an interesting collection. The hallucinations were realistic, especially yesterday's. It truly had been as if his skin were burning, cooking him like a hiphog over open flames, but when he awoke from his unconscious state, his body showed no signs of torture.

Jak blamed everything on the heat and the endless landscape of the Wasteland, until a screeching noise, almost deafening, broke his thoughts and brought him to his knees. He grasped at his ears, trying in vain to cover them and block out the horrendous sound. However, it didn't seem to want to let up. His head was aching, splitting, and he swore he could feel the wetness of blood as it oozed from his bursting ears.

He managed to look up, seeing the horizon set ablaze, the brightness blinding, and the lingering shadows of planets high above him.

Suddenly Jak felt small, the mere sight of the giants bearing down on him almost too much to handle.

 _You did not heed our words! Punished you shall be! Our united fury shall cast you out with flames!_

The words were loud and soft all at once, a load roar and a gentle whisper, but the immediate ache he felt was none of those except excruciating and numbing. Again, he wondered if this was real or just an elaborate illusion brought on by a heat-induced sickness, but he couldn't tell. He could only _feel_ as he was being set on fire and split in two all at once, the cleaver cutting him still white-hot from the forge.

He fell forward, forehead touching the coarse sand, and continued to clutch at his head, his ears, as he attempted to curl in on himself and cease existing.

The planets continued to screech, to yell, to spit fire down upon him that burned his very bones.

Jak wept for the first time that day.


	4. Day Four

Chapter 4 – Day Four

* * *

It was if the pain had never happened, like it continued to all be one lucid dream he found himself _trapped_ within. Every time his opened his eyes and was met with the arid Wasteland, he cursed and spat, damning the gods for the torture they were forcing him to live through. Not only the physical pain he never showed signs of, but the psychological damage that was maddening to the point that Jak wanted to end it. Almost.

Somehow, he found Spargus. The smoldering ruins of the once great city forgotten in the Wastelands was enough to bring Jak to his knees for a second time. First Haven, now Spargus.

 _What in the world was going on?_

"The end, my child."

Jak whipped his head around so fast the sands quivered in his vision. When his vertigo settled, his gaze landed on a dreary looking man. His dark hair was loose and long, flowing around his angled features as those vibrant, inhuman eyes met with Jak's. The smile he wore sent a chill through the blond's body.

"Who are you?" Jak managed passed a dry throat.

"I am the devil."

"The devil?"

The drab man nodded, folding his hands behind his back and staring expectantly at the man still kneeling.

The blond frowned. "Are you here to tell me to leave, too?"

The devil shook his head, that smile never faltering. "I am simply here to tell you one thing—the game is about to begin."

"It hasn't already?"

Again, the devil shook his head. "No. You were first given warnings in the hopes that you'd give up like everyone else, but now I have come to tell you the terms of the game since you insist on playing."

Jak wondered what he meant, but decided against questioning it knowing that it would do him no good. Instead, he humored the stranger. "What are the terms?"

"To _lose_."


	5. Day Five

Chapter 5 – Day Five

* * *

He awoke to the pitter patter of rain falling on crumbled stone above and on dry, cracked earth below. Stirring from his safe place, a semi-together building in the ruins of Spargus, Jak rose and held a hand out, palm up, but quickly withdrew it with a hiss. Looking down at the place where the drop had touched his flesh, he _saw_ nothing, but he _felt_ pain.

Slowly exiting his shelter, creeping just under the overhang, he noticed that the sky was cloudless, and yet the rain came down in large sheets of heavy droplets. Testing the water for a second time, Jak emerged into the strange storm but instantly regretted his decision.

It felt as if his skin were burning, dissolving into nothingness as the water cascaded down his being, ghosted over flesh, and _feasted_ upon him as if a ravenous beast. He felt exposed, his skin leaving nothing but a puddle underneath his feet as even his bones dissolved by the acidic downpour.

Torn apart and yet intact, the young man screamed from the torture. He collapsed in a heap, the pain too much for him to handle, and he couldn't bring himself to crawl back under his shelter, the one place he knew would protect him from this hell storm. Instead, he noticed for a second time how clear the sky looked and how dry the ground felt.

Was _this_ the game he needed to lose?

He was met with nothing but a thick blackness enveloping him like a warm blanket, but he heard something most peculiar—voices.

They spoke all at once, the sound combining to create a dull white noise, but when he focused he could hear them as individuals.

"Why are you still holding on?"

"Let go. Let go. _Let go_."

"Please. Stop this."

"There is nothing left. We have taken everything and you are _nothing_."

Footsteps interrupted his darkened vision, his blackening gaze focusing poorly on a dreary looking man with long, dark hair hanging around his shoulders and a sardonic smile on his face. He looked amused, the rain still pouring down in waves having no effect on the man whatsoever.

"Looks like you listened, for once."


	6. Day Six

Chapter 6 – Day Six

* * *

There was nothing.

All he saw were floating chunks of stone, of Earth, of _home_.

All around him was that thick blackness, but it was comforting despite the jarring bits of land he saw in the distance interrupting the ocean of calm.

 _Distance_.

How far? He couldn't tell, but he was both close yet far away. He could almost extend a hand and touch it, and yet he couldn't.

"What is this?" His voice echoed, ringing out into the void around him, and he was answered.

"Nothingness."

"But, why?"

"It was time for your world to go. Time for _you_ to go, and yet you stayed. Why?"

"Why what?" Jak frowned, if he could even still frown. He wasn't so sure he had a physical body anymore, but he couldn't see. He couldn't even feel, really.

"Why did you hold on for so long?"

"I—I held on because—" But he had no answer.

Why _did_ he hold on? There was nothing for him, especially not when he saw Spargus, his last hope, decaying in burning piles of rubble, and yet he remained determined to know _something_. His hope should've died along with Daxter, but he had to see it with his own eyes, whatever this "it" was.

Suddenly a calm rushed over his being, cool like a pleasant breeze and soothing his frayed nerves, settling his mind in a comforting fog. He forgot about all his earthly worries, about Haven, Spargus, Daxter, and everything else he lost.

 _Salvation has come to thee._

All the punishments he had faced cleared from his psyche, from his tired body, and set him free at last.

He saw a light off in the distance, far away yet close, and felt compelled to follow it, to go to it, and wrap himself in the safety it promised him.

As he traveled through the vast nothing around him, one thought remained tethered to his core.

 _Why did I hold on?_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Part of me, with this ending, would like to think that perhaps this _was_ all a dream, conjured by Jak's tortured psyche as he lay in bed stricken with some sort of illness or bad injury. He was holding on so he could see his friends again, to see Daxter, but he was too tired and his body knew that fighting whatever it was that was plaguing him (I'm leaning toward injury, honestly) was a lost battle. But, again, this was simply inspired by the song "Six Days" by Cellar Darling. Take it how you will.

Hope y'all liked it! And thanks for reading!


End file.
